1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fluid ejecting apparatus and an image formation method.
2. Related Art
An ink-jet printer that prints an image by ejecting a fluid (e.g., ink) onto various kinds of fluid ejection target media such as a sheet of paper, cloth, film or the like is known as an example of various kinds of fluid ejecting apparatuses.
Some printer is provided with an ink ejection unit that ejects ink (e.g., color ink) onto an ink ejection target medium and an irradiation unit that irradiates ultraviolet rays onto the ink that lies on the ink ejection target medium so as to cure the ink. Ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto ink that was ejected from the ink ejection unit and then landed on the ink ejection target medium. As a result of the exposure to the ultraviolet rays, the ink cures so as to form a print image. An example of such a fluid ejecting apparatus and an image formation method of related art is described in JP-A-2003-191594.
These days, there is a demand for various types of images. For example, there is a demand for an image that has a glossy finish. In order to meet the demand for a glossy image, an ink ejection unit ejects colorless ink (e.g., clear ink). Specifically, colorless ink is ejected on colored ink. Before the ejection of the colorless ink thereon, the colored ink, which landed on an ink ejection target medium, has cured due to exposure to ultraviolet rays. After the ejection of the colorless ink on the cured color ink, ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the colorless ink. As a result, the layer of the colorless ink, which is a flat layer, is formed over the colored ink. In this way, an image that has a glossy finish as a whole is printed.
As another example of a demand for various types of images, there is a demand for an image that has a decorative finish. Herein, the term “an image that has a decorative finish” or “a decorative image” means, for example, an image that has a concavo-convex irregular pattern formed over the surface of a base image layer thereof so as to give a three-dimensional appearance thereto. However, it has been difficult for an ink-jet printer of related art to print such a decorative image. For example, it has been difficult for an ink-jet printer of related art to add such a decorative touch when a glossy image explained above is printed because, in such a case, a flat layer is formed with the use of colorless ink.